Elastic-fluid turbine.



E. Ri NWTN.

ELASTIC FLLHD TUREINE.

APPLICATION HLED MAR. 9. 19u.

Patented J une 4, 1918.

3 SHEETSv-SHEET l.

E. R. NEWTON.

EL'ASTIC FLUID TURBINE.

APPLfcATson min MAR* 9. 19| r.

Patented Juno 4, 1918 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventor Atiornm.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EABLE B. NEWTON, F NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 INTERNATIGNAL CURTISMARINE TURBINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORLPRATION 0F TESTVIRGINIA.

ELASTICI-FLUID TURBINE.

Patented June 4, 1918.

Application led March 9, 1917. Serial No. 153,593.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EARLE R. NEWTON, a

" citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and Stateof New York, have invented a certain new and useful Elastic- F luidTurbine, of which the following is a specification.

y invention relates to improvements in elastic Huid turbines and hasparticular ref erence to such turbinesI used for the propulsion ofships.

`The objects I have in View are to so construct and arrange an elasticfluid turbine as to obtain a high efliciency at both reduced power, andhigh power and to secure a de sired'division of power between certainparts of the turbine.

These and further objects will more Vfully appear from the followingspecification and accompanying drawings `considered together orseparately.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a turbine design andarrangement embodyin my invention.

Fig. 2 1 lustrates a modification in which the turbine embodying myinvention is arranged to operate as an additional or cruisin turbine,and

i 3 illustrates a further modification in Whic the low pressure elementsof the turbine is divided into two groups and geared to the propellershaft.

In all views, like parts are 'designated by the same referencecharacters.

Accordin to the present invention I secure high e ciency at reducedpower and reduced revolutions by arranging a sufficient number of stagesor row's of blades to operate in series to obtain the proper ratiobetween the steam speed and the blade speed, for high elhciency. At highpower and high revolutions someof the stages or rows of bladesarelarranged to operate in parallel.

VIn this way the number of stages or rows of blades operating in seriesis reduced and the ratio between the steam speed andthe blade speednecessary for high eiiciency is maintained.

By` dividing the turbine into groups of stages or rows of blades andproperly proportioning the ow of `steam through these sta es or rows ofblades I am able to secure a' esired division of power.

(i of the high pressure group 2. The ci;-Y

haust end of the group 2 is provided with a pipe 7 which communicateswith the inlet o1' the low pressure group 3. Live steam may bc admittedto the group 2 through an inlet pipe 8. The exhaust end of thegroup lisconnected to the inlet of the low pressure group 3 by means of a pipe 9.A pipe 1U offers communication between the shells of the groups 1 and 2back of the first stages or rows of blades in each group so that part ofthe steam which passes through the first stages of one group may be madeto pass over to the other group and to unite with the steam which haspassed through the first stages of this group.

he low pressure group 3 .is mounted on a propeller shaft 11 and deliversits power directly to such shaft and the shafts 12 and 13 of the highpressure groups 1 and 2 respecn tively are arranged to drive the shaft11 through a speed reduction gear 14. The louT ressure group 3 isprovided with an ex- Eaust 15 which communicates with a condenser (notshown).

The pipes 5, 9 and 10 respectively have valves 18, 20 and 19.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1 the inlet 8 is closedat reduced power and all of the steam is admitted to group 1 through theinlet 4 and flows in seras through all the stages or rows of blades inthis group, then through the pipe 5 to the chest 6 of group 2, Hows inseries through all the stages or rows of blades in this group, thenthrough the pipe 7 to the low pressure group 3 arl thence to the exhaust15.

At high power the steam is divided. A large proportion, say threefourths, for example, is admitted to group 1 through the inlet 4 and theremaining one-fourth of the tho irsl slugos or rows#y oF blades4 olf thetwo groups in parallol. The larger volume ol floani allor passinglhrough tho lirsl; Stuugvs or rows4 ol' lilnflos in the group 1 sub(liriflrs und tno-thirdsr oi this` steam, oquul 1oonr-lulllollho tolalstrain. flous through thil pipo ll) to group l and unites with thesinullur volume which has passwd through tir irsl stag'os or rows ofbindt-s in this jfroup. 'l`hu strain thon flows through the ronminiug.stages or rows of blades of the tuo Igroups still in parallelono-fourth ol' the total strani now flowing through group 1. andthrrwfourths through group 2. The

strani thon flows through the pipes 9 und to ilu: low pressure part 2lol the turbine and thonro to the exhaust 15.

'When operating with tho sloom lion ing 'in sorios through [lnl groups land` 2, tho inlet S u'ill be Closed. tho pipo l0 will lle Closed, laymoans of; tho valve lll. tho pipo il will lao vlosrfd by ibo mln; 2G.and the valve lo will be opened.

Thon operating' with thastoniu ilfwing in pni'ullol through the groups lund the inlet 8 will bf, opened, the volw;-

will bf: (flosoil and the valves 19 and 20 opened.

From thu foregoing du oription it is appart-nt that at roduced powvr allof the steam flows in series tl'nough all oi' the stages or Vous o'lEblades in the two high pressure `g'rfmps. und :it high power the steamflows in parallel through the stages of these two grrnips and theinnnlugr of stages operating in serios is materially re ilurorl. ilyproprrlj,r proporiioniug the division ol the flowV admitted to Bachgroup and the division of the ilow passing through [he latin' stages orrows ol blades these groups may he made to deliw-,r equal powers.

ln the oinluxliment oi the invention shown in Fig. i2, the propellershaft l1 is provided `with a clutch 16 between the reduction lgearing 14and the main turbine 3, the turbine 3 has :t live steam inlet 17provided with a, valve 22 and the pipe 7 between the ,Cgjroui` 2 and thomain turbine il has` a valve 31.

lo thisl embodiment ol tho invcnition the tui-hihiA compost-l of thegroups l and 2 is u'hrif is commonly7 known as 'the cruising tui'lliio.f

lh rrruisiug turbine comprises :1 plurality ol' stagosor rows ol bladesdivided into tun groups on separate shafts. At high power. that is, highcruising;` speeds, the steam flows thi-ugh these two groups in paralleldivided and proportioned in the same manner as in the high pressuregroups 1 and :2, Fig. l hereinbefore described. At reduc-od cruisingspeeds andreduced power, all the steam flows in series through all the.ftagns or rows of blades of these groups in the same manner as in ighpressure groups 1 and Fig. 1 hereinbefore described. The group 3 is thelow pressure element of the turbine at all cruising speeds and receivesthoy exhaust steam from group Q of the oruis ing turbine at thv lowcruising speeds and 'l'roin'liolh lgroup 1 and group 2 at the highcruising speeds.

.Xt spirals higflnu llmn tho rruising speeds lw cruisingturbiney isrliwounooted by moans ol" lho clutch 1i; and :he propeller shaft is(lrirou by tho group 3 alone, live steam boing adl'niltf-il ther-otothrough the pipo` i7 cfrmtrollod by tha ralvo 2 2, the ralws 'J0 and '2lboing closed.

In tho embodiment or' the :invention illustrated iu Fig. Il. the turbinocomposed of two high pressure groups l und i5 of stages olf rows oi'hindos arranged on shafts 12 and. lil resportiw-:ly und two low pressuregroups l" .ind 2 of' stzigros or rows of blades mountoll un separato shal'fs 2,3 and respectively. '.lln shalls 1:6, lf3. 23 und 24 are arrangedto drive tho propeller shaft il through a. rmlurtion rear l,

The exhaust nd ol" tho group 2 is proriiluil with a pipe T whi'hcommnnioates with the inlet of the low pressure groups 3a unil V*Theexhaust er1-.rl of the group l is connected by a pipo il having' auvalve2Oa with the inlet of' the low pressure groups. The pipes 7 und 9a aroconnected to a man- ,folli in which the stra-.ln is divided and an equalamount delivered to eanh low pressure group.

Tho low pressure stages or rows of blades are divided into two doubleiow groups in ubit-h the inlet is at tho @entr-r und the Steam Hows inboth directions to the exhausts 15 at the ends of each group.

The operation of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3is the same as that shown in Fig. 1 with the exception that after thesteam passes through the groups 1 and 2 it is divided and one-half ofthe flow passes through each ofthe groups 3 and 3l* of the low pressurestages or rows 0i blades.

In the foregoing specification, and following claims l use the termStearm I use this term as aconvenient means for describing an elasticHuid of any kind, suitable for driving;r a turbine.

Any form of transmission ma, be em ployed, the mechanical gearing sownbeing solelynfor purpose of illustration, and il desired tho gearing mabe dispensed with and power taken directly off the shafts 12 and 13.

In rocordance with the provisions of the patentstatutcs I have describedthe principlo of my invention, together with the apparatus which I nowconsider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to haveit understood hat the apparatus shown is merely illustrative, and that'the invention/may be carried out in other ways. y

fl i) carrying the steam from the exhaust end of the lirst group to theinlet of the second group, means for carrying the steam from the exhaustend of the second grmip to the inlet of the low pressure stages or rowsof blades, whereby all the steam flows in series through all thr" stagesor rows of blades of the high pressure groups then through the lowpressure stages or rowsl ol blades to the exhaust, roe-Lus l'oradmitting the initial steam to hoth groups nt high power, means forsubdividing the steam after it has passed the, first. stages or rows oi'blades, ineens for carrying the steam from the exhaust end of euch groupto the inlet of the low pressure stages or .rows of blades, wlierel'iythe steum flows in parallel through the first stages or rows ol' bladesof the two groups, suhdivides und Hows still in parallel hut in changedproporlions through the renmining singes or rows of blades oi the highpressure groups, whereby a desired division of power between the. shaftsmuy be maintained, then through theqlyw pressure stugrs or rows ofblades to thevxhaost.

8. A. steam turbine comprising higlh pressure stages or rows of bladesand dou )le flow low pressure stages or rows of blades with the highpressure singes or rows arranged in two groups on seperate shafts, thelow pres sure stages or rows olf blades being arranged in two groups onsep-.irate shufts,lmeans for admitting the initial. steam to one of thehigh pressure groups et reduced power, means for carrying the steam fromthe ex huust end of the first group to the inlet of the second group,Ineens for rnrrying the sieam from the exhuust end ola the second groupto the -inlet ol the low inf-'ssure stages or rows of blades, wherebyill ihr ste-um flows in series through all thr` singes or rows of bladesof the high pressure groups then through the low pressure stnges or rowsoi" blades to the exhuust, means fm :ulu'xtiing the initial steam bollilli-rh pressure groups at high power, means for ,'-suhcflividiug thesteam :ifler it has passed the. first stages or rows oi' blades, menusfor icuii-finir the steeni 'froy'n the mhuust und of eur-zi group to theinlet ol the low we rages or 'rows of blade 'eht-why non ilove inpurullei through the lhrsl p of blades of the two groups Y floues stillill parallel l'fm. in I.; Y tions tirrimgh [he rrnmiuing; siepi ofblades ol" the high preszumA mofsps, here by e, desired division of pouhi. r. i tlm shafts may be maintained, then through the low pressuresinges or rows of filedes to the exhaust.

This specification signed und witnessed this seventh day of March, 1917.

Witnesses:

A. E. BENTON, J. G. MCDEBMOTL

